Monks Hone Skills in Collegiate Baseball Summer Leagues

STANDISH, ME - Twenty of the Monks' returning players are currently participating in collegiate summer baseball leagues.

Most have chosen to play in a league close to home, but a few have picked leagues in more exotic locations. One such player is rising sophomore catcher Joe Coyne (Duxbury, Mass.), who plays for the Waikiki Surfers in the Hawaii Collegiate Baseball League.

Rising senior Chad Rafferty (Keene, N.H.) pitches for the Keene Swamp Bats in the prestigious New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) while six SJC players are competing in the New England-based Futures Collegiate Baseball League (FCBL). Rising juniors Joe Gruntkosky (Peabody, Mass.) and Alex Markakis (Lynnfield, Mass./St. John's Prep) suit up for the North Shore Navigators while Mike Pratt (Dartmouth, Mass.), Tyler Laverriere (Biddeford, Maine), Nick Whittaker (Yarmouth, Maine), and Lincoln Sanborn (Standish, Maine) are currently playing for the Old Orchard Beach Raging Tide.

"It is extremely important for our players to compete at the highest level possible during the summer months," adds Head Coach Will Sanborn '86. "We stress the importance of playing in the summer with our players – even before they arrive on campus – during the recruiting process we want them to get the message that we expect this type of commitment to their game."

"Players can really improve their game by playing against top competition. It forces you to take your game to the next level. Our guys love playing in the summer and as a group they have really made the commitment. Another added benefit is that recruits are really looking for a quality experience in the summer – so when we can place players in good leagues that helps the program as well."

Saint Joseph's has reached the 30-win plateau seven times and won seven conference crowns in the last eight years. The Monks have advanced to the NCAA DIII Regional six times during this span and have won at least two games in the New England Tournament in each of the last three seasons.

The Monks went 39-7 overall and 14-2 in GNAC play en route to winning the conference championship and making another NCAA Tournament appearance last season. The 2012 baseball team broke the SJC Athletics single-season victories record (formerly 38 games) with a triumph over Keene State College in the New England Regional at Eastern Connecticut State University on May 18th.

Coach Sanborn carries a career record of 542-295-5 (.648) into the 2013 campaign, which will be his 21st season as the Monks' skipper. Sanborn is the winningest and most successful coach in program history became the SJC Athletics' all-time leader in victories last spring. 

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